5 Takeaways from Lightning vs. Rangers Game Four

Oh, how the tables have turned. The Tampa Bay Lightning did what they had to in games three and four. They took care of home ice and will head back to New York level at two games apiece with the Rangers after seeming left for dead through two games.

In the last two outings, the Lightning have been playing their game. They have done a better job of not fueling the chances for the Rangers and the results have spoken for themselves as this series has now become a best of three.

Let’s get into what we took away.

5. This Team is Never Dead

They proved in round one against Toronto and they have proved it again through four games against New York, the Lightning will never go away. As long as they are still standing, they have what it takes to keep standing.

New York was unable to bury them in game three after being up 2-0 in the second period, but they let the Lightning back in it. Most teams would have crumbled in that spot, not this team. The life they got from getting back into that game translated into a win and that turned into another win in game four.

You can almost sense how things have shifted in this series as the Lightning have seemed to come alive following their nine-day slumber. They did what they had to do and defended home ice, but now the test will be if they are able to keep the strong play going on the road.

4. Finally Getting Something from Down the Lineup

The Lightning have not gotten much from their depth in this series. Through three games, they did not get any goals out of their bottom six forwards as their top guys and powerplay were  just about their only source of offense.

If they wanted to keep playing, that would have to change at some point and it did early in game four. Pat Maroon buried a rebound after Zach Bogosian dangled his way toward the Ranger net. That same combination clicked in game four against Florida for the series clinching goal.

Getting a goal from your fourth line always provides a jolt of energy to your team and they provided the jolt the Lightning needed in this game.

2. Owning the Play at Five on Five

Through games three and four in Tampa, the Lightning outscored the Rangers 5-0 at five-on-five. All three Ranger goals in the two games came on the powerplay. Yes, they obviously still count just the same but the team who plays better at five-on-five typically always wins over the course of a seven-game series.

You have to be able to score at five-on-five in the playoffs. There is no way around it. If the Lightning continue to defend the way they have and limit the chances for a hot Ranger powerplay, the Lightning already have their path to victory.

1. Vasilevskiy is Where we Expect

After a slow introduction to the series, Andrei Vasilevskiy seems to have rounded into form now. There is no reason to expect for his play to decline the way things are currently going.

Game four was the first time in the series that Vasilevskiy ended up with a higher save percentage than Igor Shesterkin (.971 vs. .900). Vasilevskiy made 34 saves on 35 Ranger shots on Tuesday night.

By not being able to bury the Lightning in game three, the Rangers gave Vasilevskiy another chance to heat up and start to feel good about things. Now, it looks as though we will not see him reverting to what we saw through the first two games of this series.